Potential device



June 18, 1935. P. o. LANGGUTH 2,004,954

POTENTIAL DEVICE Filed NOV. 11, 1953 r 1 r I I I I; I; I2 I I I WITNESSES: SNVENTOR i 'aa'i {1T Langgwfz.

40 voltages.

Patented June 18, 1935 A UNITED s'ra'ras PQTENT OFFICE 1m arz rtltvrcn Paul 0. Langgutla Irwin, Pa., assignmto Westinghouse Electric & Manufacturing Company, Easga Pittsburgh, Pa" a corporation of Pennsylvan Application November 11, 1933, Serial No. 697,676 14 Claims. (01. 171-91) My invention relates to high voltage alternattaken in conjunction with the accompanying ing current systems and particularly to electrodrawing, in which static apparatus for obtaining a control voltage Figure 1 is a diagrammatic View of a novel proportional to the residual or zero sequence voltsystem of connections embodying my invention,

5 age of a polyphase alternating current circuit. Fig. 2 is an elevational view of a set of oil cir- 5 In connection with polyphase alternating curcuit breakers showing a preferred'arrangement rent circuits, it is often necessary to obtain an of parts in t e pp ic o of my invention accurate-indication of the zero sequence voltage condenser bushing appar tus, of'a high voltage polyphase circuit in order to- Fig- 3 is an e a a W i' K mOdi- 1O detect and clear ground faults. Such an indification of my invention as used with pedestal cation may be obtained by means of insulating mounted coupling capacitors, and

potential transformers, but the cost of such trans- Fig- 4 is a diagrammatic w Showing the formers for transmission voltages is considerable, te nal c n c s of certain 01 theta-9801mm 0f and it is preferable to obtain the indication by -means of capacitive apparatus, where possible. Referring to Fig. 1, the phase condu or I f As capacitive apparatus has heretofore been athree-phase grounded-neutral transmission line applied for this purpose, it-has been the practice are insulated from ground by three symmetrical to use three bushing potential devices, each'sepseries capacitance devices 2. The series capaciarately connected to a tappedcondenser-type tance devices 2 may be condenser-type bushings,

2o bushing, for obtaining the zero sequence voltstrings of insulators, stacks of condensers or a In t g ment, the secondary wlndother capacitive coupling devices 'or capacitorings of the potential device transformers are con potentiometers which draw a charging current nected in a series circuit with the translating and are capable of being tapped to produceacomdevice to which the zero sequence voltage is to paratively small fraction of the total impressed 5 be applied. I have found that this arrangement voltage.

may be greatly simplified and two of the poten- The capacitance devices 2 are each tapped near tial devices omitted if the connections are made theu'r ground ends at points 3 corresponding to in a manner which will be hereinafter described. equal fractions of the total capacitive reactance Moreover, where the load connected to thapoof the corresponding device, and the points 3 are 'tential devices was relatively great, as compared connected by a common conductor 4. .30 to the available capacities of the tapped bush- A bushing potential device or network 5 is conings, slight errors in the voltage-ratios and nected between the conductorl and ground. The phase-angle relations were encountered in the potential device 5 may be of the type commonlyprevious arrangement which utilized three sepused with a single condenser bushing, except that aratebushing potential devices and an auxiliary its turn ratio is somewhat lower to compensate 35 s dua t transformer having an Denfor capacitance efi'ects' which will be hereinafter delta secondary. These errors would cause a more fully explained. 1 r sidu l v l to app ar in his open-delta sec- The potential device 5 comprises a step-down ondary when there was no unbalance in the linetransformer 5a, an adjustable condenser 5?; connected across the secondary terminals of the 40 It is, accordingly, an object of my invention transformer 5a, and an adjustable reactor 50 ino p v e a nov l arran em n f capacitive apeluding in series withthe secondary winding of p us for obtaining Zero sequence v l e, whi h the transformer 5a. A spark gap 5d is connected shall require only one bushing potential device in parallel with the primary winding of the 5 or equivalent transforming device, and which transformer So, for preventing an excessive volt- 'shall avoid the errors previously encountered. age on the tapped portion of the capacitance Other objects of my invention include the prodevices 2 in the event that the potential device vision of a novel form of enternal-gap-protected 5' becomes overloaded. The spark gap 5d also potentiometer device, and more particularly 9. serves to by-pass high voltage transients caused pedestal type ca'pacitorpotentiometer which by lightning, switching operations or other dis- 0 constitutes an element or sub-combinationof the turbances, in a manner well understood in the zero-sequence potential device previoufily menart. y tioned. The translating device 6, to be energized by The foregoing and other objects will'become "thepotential device 5, is connected in'seriea with evident from the following detailed description the reactor 50 and the secondary winding of th 55 transformer 5a. The translating device 6' may be a meter, relay, glow'lamppr other device responsive to voltage. In many cases, itwould be the potential coil of a ground relay.

The adjustments of the transformer So, can'- denser 5b and reactor 50 are provided for varying the magnitude and phase angle of the output voltage of .the device 5 to obtain most satisfactory operation for a given line voltage, voltage ratio of the capacitance devices 2 and-burden.

The potential device, comprising the transformer 5a, the capacitor 5b,and the inductor 5c, is substantially the same as that covered by a patent to J. F. Peters, No. 1,819,260, patented August 18, 1 931. The inductor 5c is. an ironcore inductor having sufficient inductance to the fundamental line-frequency currents to provide a tuned relaying-voltage circuit so as to compensate for the phase-angle displacement across those portions of the capacitor-potentiometers 2 which are included between the common conductor 4 and ground. Thus, it will be obvious that the essential purpose of the inductor 5c is to make the inductive reactance of the entire circuit or potential-network 5 substantially equal and opposite ,to the capacitive reactance between the common conductor 4 and ground, and hence,

.as indicatedin said Peters patent, the inductor 50 may be connected in either the primary or the secondary circuit of the transformer 5a.

The capacitor 5b which ispreferably shunted across the secondary winding of the transformer 5a, as shown, is a small adjustable capacitor which aids in the adjustment of the secondary voltage and also improves the voltage-regulation of the device.

' equal voltages of normal value which are dis-' placed by 120", are applied between the other two conductors I and ground. The transformer 'The' adjustments are preferably made as follows: With one of the conductors I grounded,

5a, condenserflb and reactor to are then adjusted to produce an output voltage across the translating device 8 of approximately 110, volts,

displaced by 60 from both of the applied voltages. It will be noted that under these conditions, there are four parallel paths between the conductor 4 and ground, three paths being through the short portions of the'ca'pacitance device 2 and one path being through the long portion of the groundedcapacitance device 2.

The total capacitance between the conductor 4 and ground is accordingly considerably higher than that of a single short portion of one of the capacitance devices 2. For this reason, the voltage between the conductor 4 and ground is lower than that whichwould be produced. by a single device 2 acting as an unloaded potentiometer, and, the turn ratio of the step-downtransformer is must be lower than that of the usual potential .The voltage between the conducibrl and ground is accordingly aerb.- iii-the line voltages become unbalanced, a resultant voltage to ground exists, and a resultant of the charging currents of the capacitance.devices2 flows from the conducformer 5a to ground. This resultant of the charging currents induces a voltage .in the secondary tor 4 through the primary winding of trans winding of the transformer 51; and currents flow through the condenser 5b and translating device 6.

Thevoltage existing across the translating de- 'vice 6 under these conditions is proportional to the vector sum of the line voltages and is in phase with this vector sum, neglecting frequency variations and non-linear eifects such as magnetic saturation.- This relationship is believed to be sufliciently obvious from the symmetry of the arrangement, and proof is accordingly omitted.

Fig. 2 shows a-preferred arrangement of my invention as applied to condenser-bushing apparatus. In Fig. 2, three circuit breakers of a high voltage polyphase circuit are shown at I. The potential device 5 is preferably mounted upon the central circuit-breaker tank I and connected to taps of the bushings 8 of the circuitbreaker. The connections are preferably completely enclosed in weatherproof conduits 9.

In-the application of my invention to condenser bushing apparatus, a smallrise of voltage per.

layer results from the fact that the insulating effect of the layer closest to ground is lost. For

example, in Fig. 1, the star voltages are impressed between the conductors -I and the tapping points 3 rather than between conductors I and ground. .It is therefore necessary that the' bushings have sufiicient factors of safety to withstand the increased voltage.

Fig. 3 shows a preferred arrangement of my invention as practiced with'pedestal mounted coupling capacitors. Three similar stacks II,

each consisting of a suitable number of coupling capacitors II, in this case three, are mounted upon a grounded support I2 and are connected to-the conductors I. Each of the stacks II is provided withan arcing ring I3 metallically connected between the lowermost coupling-capacitor andthe one next above. 'The coupling capacitors II are each provided with metallic housihg-terminals or end plates I- la and with an outer insulating housing or casing III; of porcelain or other suitable insulating material; The condenser elements, shown in Fig. r 4, are the usual conducting and dielectric layers stacked within the casings Ilb. The porcelain casings III) are so designed that the break-down voltage outside of the casing is lower than-the break-down voltage of the condenser elements therewithin, so that an insulation fail e will occur externally as a fiashover rather an inter nally. if a failure should occur. The internal connections of the,,..capacitors I I of Fig. 3 are indicated in Fig. 4. The lowermost capacitor n of each stack is tapped at its mid-' point, the conductor 4 is connected to the tap. The bottom unit II thus constitutes, in effect, a -mutiple-'capacitor unit having (as shown) two serially connected capacitor-elemerits therein, and having an intermediate tap-.

connection between said-capacitor-elements. As.

shown in Flgs. 3 and 4,9. tap-conductor 4 extends from said tap-connection and. passes through the. bottom housing-terminal, or end plate Ila and also through the grounded sup-..

porting means 12. As the mid-tap of the lowermost capacitor II has the eiiect of reducing the internal break-down voltage of the capacitor, the arcing rings I3 are provided for correspondingly reducing the external break-down voltage of the lowermost capacitor II to insure an external flashover in the event of excessive voltage, rather than an internal failure.

The external flashover-path or arcing space between the arcing ring I3 of the bottom capacitor-potentiometer unit II and the bottom terminal plate IIa or the grounded terminal-structure I2 thus makes it impossible for the tapconductor 4 to become directly connected to the high voltage of the line-conductor I through an internal insulation-failure within the bottom unit I I and external fiashovers around the two top units II of the series. 'I'hus, if an arc should strike from the conductor I to the ring I3 of Fig. 4, it would also strike from the ring I3 to ground, so that its path to ground would therefore be external to the lowermost capacitor II. The contingency of the are reaching the conductor 4 is remote, as the porcelain insulator Nb of the lowermost capacitor II would have to be punctured before this could happen.

I do not intend that the present invention shall be restricted to the specific structural details, arrangement of parts or circuit connections herein set forth as various modifications thereof may be effected without departing from the spirit and scope of my invention. I desire therefore that only such limitations shall be imposed as are indicated in the appended claims.

I claim as my invention:

1. In combination with a grounded-neutral polyphase alternating current circuit, apparatus responsive to a zero sequence component of voltage of said circuit comprising a plurality of capacitance means each coupling a phase conductor of said circuit to ground, said capacitance means having conducting elements which divide their respective capacitive reactances in the same predeterminedratio, a conductor connecting said conducting elements directly together, and an electroresponsive device connected between said conductor and ground.

2. In combination with a grounded-neutral polyphase alternating-current circuit, apparatus responsive to a zero sequence component of voltage of said circuit comprising a plurality of series capacitance means, each connected between a phase conductor of said circuit and ground, each of said capacitance means comprising a plurality of capacitors connected in a series circuit, a conductor connecting a point of one of said series circuits directly to the corresponding points .of the other of said series circuits, and an electroresponsive device connected between ground.

3. In combination with a grounded-neutral high-voltage polyphase alternating-current circuit, apparatus responsive to a zero sequence component of voltage of said circuit comprising a plurality of series capacitance means each connected between a phase conductor of said circuit and 'ground, each of said capacitance means comprising a plurality of capacitors connected in a series circuit, said capacitors each having an insulating casing, a conductor connecting points within said casings of a predetermined capacitive reactance to ground of each of said series circuits directly together, an electro-responsive device connected between said conductor and ground, and protective electrode means connected to said conductor and in arcing relationship to ground.

4. A capacitor coupling device comprising a said conductor and 3 plurality of serially connected capacitor-units, each of said units having an insulating housing with capacitor-means therewithin, and conducting terminals for said housing, said terminals being so spaced that an external fiashover-path is provided around each individual unit, having a flashover-voltage which is considerably lower than the internal insulation-puncture-strength of the capacitor-means within the unit-housing, means for making an electric circuit connection from one end of the series to' a transmission-line conductor, and grounded means for the other end of the series, characterized by the unit at the grounded end being a multiple-capacitor unit having a plurality of serially-connected capacitorelements therewithin, and having an intermediate tap-connection between two of said serially connected capacitor-elements, and a tap-conductor extending from said intermediate tap-connection through the housing-terminal at the grounded end of said unit.

5. A pedestal-type coupling device comprising a plurality of serially connected capacitor-units, each of said units having an insulating housing with capacitor-means therewithin, and conducting terminals for said housing, said terminals being so spaced that an external flashover-path is provided around each individual unit, having a flashover-voltage which is considerably lower than the internal insulation-puncture-strength of the capacitor-means within the unit-housing, means for making an electric circuit connection from the top end of the series to a transmissionline conductor, a grounded base for the bottom end of the series, and fastening means for securing the several parts together in pedestal-formation, characterized by the bottom unit being a multiple-capacitor unit having a plurality of serially connected capacitor-elements therewithin, and having an intermediate tap-connection between two of said serially connected capacitorelements, and a tap-conductor extending from said intermediate tap-connection through the bottom terminalmember of said bottom unit.

6. A capacitor-potentiometer coupling device comprising ,a multiple-capacitor unit having an insulating housing witha, plurality of serially connected capacitor elements therewithin, and conducting terminals for said housing, said terminals being so spaced that an external flashover-path is provided around said unit, having a. fiashover-voltage which is considerably lower than the internal insulation-puncture-strength of'the capacitor-elements within the unit-housing, means for making an electric-circuit connection from one end of the series to a transmission-line conductor, and grounded means for the other end of the series, characterized by said capacitor-unit having an intermediate tap-connectionbetween two of said serially connected capacitor-elements, and a tap-conductor extending from said intermediate tap-connection through the housing-terminal at the grounded end ofsaid unit.

7. A pedestal-type capacitor-potentiometer coupling device comprising a multiple-capacitor unit having an insulating housing with a plurality of serially connected capacitor-elements therewithin, and conducting terminals for said housing, said terminals being so spaced that an external flashover-path is provided around said unit, having a flashover-voltage which is considerably lower than the internal insulationpuncture-strength of the capacitor-elements within the unit-housing, means for making an minal member of said capacitor-unit.

8. A potentiometer-coupling device comprising a plurality of serially connected potentiometerelement units, each of said units having an insulating housing with potentiometer-element means therewithin, and conducting terminals for said housing, said terminals being so spaced that an external flashover-path is provided around each individual unit, having a flashover-voltage which is considerably lower than the internal excess-voltage strength of the potentiometerelement means within the unit-housing, means for making an electric-circuit connection from one end of the series to a transmission-line conductor, and grounded means for the other end or the series, characterized by the unit at the grounded end being a multiple element unit having a plurality of serially connected potentiometer-elements therewithin, and having an intermediate tap-connection between two of said serially connected potentiometer-elements, and a tap-conductor extending from said intermediate tap-connection through the housing-terminal at the grounded end of said unit.

9. A pedestal-type potentiometer-coupling device comprising a plurality of serially connected potentiometer-element units, each of said units having an insulating housing with potentiometer: element means therewithin, and conducting terminals for said housing, said terminals being so spaced that an external fiashover-path is provided around each individual unit, having a flashover-voltage which is considerably lower than the internal excess-voltage strength of the potentiometer-element means within the unithousing, means for making an electric-circuit connection from the top end of the series to a transmission-line conductor, a grounded base for the bottom end of the series, andfastening means for securing the several parts together in pedestal formation, characterized by the bottom unit being a multiple-potentiometer unit having a plurality of serially connected potentiometer-elements therewithin, and having an intermediate tap-connection between two of said serially connected potentiometer-elements, and a tap-conductor extending from said intermediate tap-' connection through the bottom terminal member of said bottom unit.

10. A potentiometer-coupling device comprising a multiple-potentiometer unit having an insulating housing with a plurality of serially connected potentiometer elements therewithin and conducting terminals for said housing, said terminals being so spaced that an external flashover-path is provided around said unit,having a fiashover-voltage which is considerably lower than the internal excess-voltage strength 0! the potentiometer-elements within the unit-housing,

means for making an electric-circuit connection,

from one end of the series to a transmission-line conductor, and grounded means 'for the other end of the series, characterized by said potentiometerunit having an intermediate tap-connection between two of said serially connected potentiometer-elements, and a tap-conductor extending from said intermediate tap-connection through the housing-terminal at the grounded end of said unit.

11. A pedestal-type potentiometer-coupling device comprising a multiple-potentiometer unit having an insulating housing with a plurality of serially-connected potentiometer-elements therewithin, and conducting terminals for said housing, said terminals being so spaced that an external flashover-path is provided around said unit having a flasho'ver-voltage which is considerably lower than the internal excess-voltage strength of the potentiometerelements within the unit-housing, means for making an electric-circuit connection from the top end of the series to .a transmission-line conductor, a grounded base for the bottom end of the series and fastening means for securing the potentiometer-unit and the base together in pedestal-formation, characterized by said potentiometer-unit having an intermediate tap-connection between two of said serially connected potentiometer-elements, and a tap-conductor extending from said intermediate tap-connection through the bottom terminal member of said potentiometer-unit.

12. A zero-sequence capacitor-potentiometer coupling device for a polyphase transmission line, comprising an individual capacitor-potentiometer connected between each phase-conductor of the transmission line and ground, a common intermediate-tap conductor for all of said capacitor-potentiometers, and a tuned-circuit adjustable voltage-network assembly connected between said common tap conductor and ground for providing alow-voltage source substantially responsive, in predetermined manner, and in ph se and magnitude, to the zero-sequence com-. ponent of the transmission-line voltage.

13. The invention as specified in claim l2, characterized bysaid voltage-network assembly comprising a potential transformer including serially connected tuned-circuit inductance.

14. A zero-sequence potentiometer coupling device for a polyphase transmission line, comprising an individual potentiometer connected between each phase-conductor of the transmission line and ground, a common intermediate-tap conductor for all of said potentiometers, and an adjustable voltage-network assembly connected between said common tap conductor and ground for providing a low-voltage'source substantially responsive, in predetermined manner, and in phase and magnitude, to the zero-sequence component of the transmission-line voltage.

PAUL 0. LANGGUTH. 

